


Goodbye To The Young

by Siddal



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aging, Angst, Dialogue, Established Relationship, F/M, Immortality, Master of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-09
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 18:11:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2591264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siddal/pseuds/Siddal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes love doesn't mean staying together.</p><p>(Now with an Alternate Ending)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sometimes love...

**Author's Note:**

> Just added an Alternate Ending. If you want it, read on. If you're into this sad ending, beware that "next" button.

I am growing old.

What? You’re not even forty.

Compared to you, I’m old.

Surely an intelligent woman such as you doesn’t measure her value in the youth of her flesh.

Ever the charmer. But appearance is not the issue here…I think you should leave.

Have I upset you?

Not intentionally, no. And I don’t mean right now, I just mean you should leave and I must never see you again.

That doesn’t sound better. What are you on about? Does my agelessness upset you this much, that you would have me leave you?

One day I will be an old woman and you would still look a boy of seventeen but with the eyes of a man who has lived through centuries.

You’re afraid of that. If you’re worried about me, trust that I will always prefer your company to that of a younger woman who hasn’t lived through anything. The fact that we grew and built ourselves together into who we are now is more important to me that beauty. Though at this rate, I imagine you would still be turning heads at 85.

I’m serious. Don’t change the subject with flattery. This is difficult as it is. I don’t fear that future. At least right now, I don’t. But that future, I could live with. But the future that we seem to be heading towards is a different story. You said it yourself. There is value in the time we have spent together. But we no longer do that, spend time together.

I’m right here.

Not always. Not like before. I know the war didn’t end the way we would have wanted. It seems it did not take away your burdens but only replaced them. And I know you consider your agelessness one of those burdens. It has made you distant. I know this sounds selfish. But sometimes, I wouldn’t see you for months at a time. I don’t despise my aging because of my appearance but because of the fact that I am changing. That is our nature. People change with time. We grow. We make mistakes. We learn. We live. I used to do all of that with you. But every time I see you, I see the difference in me compared to the person I was when I last saw you. You barely know me now. My aging is a reminder, a measure of the length of your absence. I love you, but this is killing me. It is up to you if you will continue to be with me. But if you decide to be with me, BE with me. But if you plan to continue the way we are now, the next time you leave, never return.

I think deep down, I know I’m doing this on purpose, distancing myself. I couldn’t cope with all that’s happened. I know you could help, and so could our friends. But I’ve always been like this haven’t I? Always trying to do everything on my own terms, to the point where the only way left is down. I think you deserve to be selfish after everything I put you though. I guess before, I could make up for some of it because it was give and take. I love you, I care for you, and I protect you. Though, not always enough. But I just couldn’t let you go. I console myself with the little I could give you. But now, all I’m giving you is pain. I know I can’t change. Maybe in the future I could but I couldn’t ask you to wait. I will always love you and I know you’ll always love me. So yes, I’ll leave.


	2. BE with me. (Alternate Ending)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you wan't a happy(or rather "optimistic") ending, read on.

It is up to you if you will continue to be with me. But if you decide to be with me, BE with me. But if you plan to continue the way we are now, the next time you leave, never return.

I think deep down, I know I’m doing this on purpose, distancing myself. I couldn’t cope with all that’s happened. I know you could help, and so could our friends. But I’ve always been like this haven’t I? Always trying to do everything on my own terms, to the point where the only way left is down. I think you deserve to be selfish after everything I put you though. But if you'll allow it, we could be selfish together.

I don't understand.

I can't promise I won't leave ever again. I can't promise that I won't need to. Every couple needs time apart, right? What I mean is. When I am here, and I will try my hardest to be here for you for a very long time, I will BE here. No more holding back. No keeping my emotions from you. No more being distant. I will be an open book.

I can't ask that off you. You've always been very private. That's why I'm giving you the choice to stay but I didn't mean change yourself to stay.

Well I'll only be an open book to you. I guess being completely open is a bit much but you know within reason.

Are you sure about this? It was difficult enough to ask you to leave me once, if this doesn't work...

I'm sure. And I was thinking we could have a clean start?

What do you mean?

You don't want to say goodbye to me second time and you wont have to. I will leave if this goes bad but not so far into it, hurting you even further. Clean start, a test run if you will, away from all the crazy media, the pressure of all those things unsaid among friends. Just us.

As you asking me to go on holiday with you?

I'm asking you to leave behind this shell of man and let the Harry you fell for before try to make you fall in love with him again. What do you say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, what do you say? Bit cheesy? Really cheesy? Let me know how I did with a change of tone.


End file.
